Want to buy some Bitcoins below market prices?

in #cryptocurrency7 years ago (edited)

If you are currently looking to snatch up some Bitcoins but would like to pay slightly less than the current market prices, I have a solution for you.

First, move to South Korea.

Second, attend local police auction.

Third, purchase Bitcoins at said auction for slightly below current market prices.

Forth, profit. 

Wait, did you say buy Bitcoins at a local police auction?! 

Yes, yes I did...

Here's the backstory...

Back in 2016 a large number of Bitcoins were confiscated during a criminal investigation. According to reports, roughly 216 Bitcoins were seized during a cyber investigation by the South Gyeonggi Provincial Police Agency (try saying that three times fast).

During the investigation a 33 year old man was arrested for operating an "obscenity website". I am not sure what that means, but it sounds obscene. 

The coins that were confiscated are worth roughly $531,000 (USD) currently with Bitcoin trading at $2,458 dollars per coin. 

This would be the first time I have ever heard of Bitcoins being auctioned off at some sort of police auction. 

According to the Korea Asset Management Corporation (KAMCO), this is the first auction of it's kind. 

KAMCO is the county's asset management company that oversees state-owned properties/development, and any seized financial assets (which would include virtual currencies). The virtual currencies are considered financial assets and would now become government property and are subject to public auctions. 

By law 3% of the proceeds from the sale of the digital currencies will be returned to the South Korean Government.

So, the buyer can get coins below market price (presumably), and the government gets to keep a cut for their troubles. 

Sounds like a win for everybody! 

Well except for the obscenity website guy, but that is a topic for another day. 

This auction comes at a time when virtual currency markets have been booming in Asia and South Korea in particular as of late.

The Bithumb, Korbit, and Coinone exchanges have seen record breaking trading volume over the last several weeks. Plus the South Korean won has now jumped into the top couple spots in terms of Bitcoin global trading volumes. 

As you can see, what was once mostly dominated by US dollar trading has now seen a massive increase in Yen, Yuan, and Won denominated currencies:  

(The chart on the left shows the volume by exchanges and the chart on the right shows the currency dollar volume transacted.) 

South Korea still isn't that large of a slice but if you take a look at this same chart from a couple months ago, you wouldn't even see South Korea on the chart. 

To further put things into perspective, if you looked at a similar chart a few years ago, you would see that the USD had a strangle hold on the transactions. 

All in all, while this might not be the most realistic way to get your hands on some cheaper Bitcoins, I thought it was interesting never the less. Hope you all were able to take something from it as well. 

Stay informed my friends!

Sources:

https://bitcoincharts.com/charts/volumepie/

http://www.coindesk.com/south-korean-government-to-auction-216-bitcoins/

Images:

http://www.newsbtc.com/2017/05/13/south-korea-lower-capital-requirements-bitcoin-remittance-providers-next-month/

https://news.bitcoin.com/hacked-korean-bitcoin-exchange-yapizon-offers-ious/

https://bitcoincharts.com/charts/volumepie/

Follow me: @jrcornel

Sort:  

I didn't know that. Thanks!

How is the police sure the Bitcoins belong to the man? How were they able to stop anyone from using them? As much as I'm happy for your deal I am very curious about this whole story.

There's a link above to the story. I have heard of a few instances now of police auctioning off BTC from the proceeds of crime. I don't know that they'd be going that cheap though as just last month Koreans were paying 200$ - 500$ dollars above the price paid in the west on the Korean exchanges, so the normal price would be a nice discount for them. I saw a guy making 20000$ /day on the abitrage.

That's a crazy level of arbitrage. Good for him if that's the case.

And I don't see the point of doing all suggestions just to purchase at discounted price bitcoin.
With all the hassle, it's better to simply buy in exchange.

Follow me @yehey

I have 2 questions:

  1. If price of Bitcoin is higher than other part of the world, why there is seems to be no trader buying big from other country and see in S.Korea? Even with a peraonal trip to sell a physical wallet, I think it is still every profitable.

  2. Is there any restriction on selling bitcoin in S. Korea? Wonder why S.Korea ppl buy from outside and sell domestic.

Interesting!
That is a smart way to convert crime into profit for the authorities.
And it does seem to be a win win scenario.
Checking flight tickets to SK :P

Haha yes it is. Same here ;)

wow!
really!
I'm posting this at my Kakao story!
and sending my students, too!
are they the physical ones?
wauwww! jack pot!

WOW the upvote you gave yourself last week is now worth 63 bucks !! niiice man! Happy for you! yay HF19 :D

216 Bitcoins for auction in South Korea....

Over 44,000 Bitcoins were auctioned in the U.S. after Silk Road was shut down. Only whales participated in that.

Nice one...i guess we have to visit Korea

Good publication !! Very interest

Very nice post!

Are you sure Korea wants me?

The US Govt auctioned off confiscated BTC from alleged Silk Road (dark web market) operators, so BTC auctions on behalf of a nation are not off the table in most countries if said BTC is alegedly resulting from a crime.

Wow, that's interesting! Thanks!